Three Causes of a Flooded Basement

12/20/2020 (Permalink)

Flooding can affect your basement home for a wide range of reasons. Whether it's a busted pipe or an act of nature, hire a residential water cleanup professional to ensure the flood damage is properly taken care of. Basement flooding occurs for a multitude of reasons, but 3 common reasons are:

Heavy Rains

Rain normally flows into the ground leaving your home unaffected by a basement flood. However, heavy rain can saturate the ground, raising the level of the water table. A higher water table can leave the liquid with nowhere else to go besides into your home. A high water table is sometimes responsible for sewage backups in the home as well.

Frozen Pipes

Another culprit for a basement flood is plumbing. If not properly heated during the winter, the basement can be at higher risk for frozen pipes. When the interior temperature drops too low, liquid flowing through the pipes starts to freeze and expand. Expansion of the liquid in your pipes can cause cracks to form. When the ice thaws, turning into water, it may start to leak into your living space.

Leaking Pipes

Freezing weather isn’t the only reason pipes burst or start leaking. Even without freezing temperatures leaks and other breaks can still cause a deluge of water. If you ignore a small leak or pipe repair, you may have to deal with a flood in your basement. Water takes the path of least resistance. If there is a leak originating on the top floor of your house, the water can still travel through the walls and floors to find its way to the lowest point of your living space.

Understanding the reasons behind flooding makes it easier to create a water cleanup plan. It's important to remember your water problems could be caused by a unique situation. 

If you have noticed water damage in your home call the professionals at SERVPRO of Lakeway / Westlake. They have the knowledge, training and tools to handle any size water damage incident quickly, saving you time and money. They will even help you with your insurance claim.